Rudolph m



(No Model.)

B. M. HUNTER. TRACTION AND BRAKE DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. No. 443,661.

Patented Dec. 30,1890

Wii'nessas:

' Ni'rnn STATES RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC CAR COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF SAME PLACE.

TRACTiON AND BRAKE DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,661, dated December 30, 1890.

Original application filed September 23, 1886, Serial No. 214,309 Divided and application filed June 1, 1887, Serial No. 239,930. Again divided and application filed July 2, 1890, Serial No. 357,477. Again divided and this application filed September 24, 1890.

Serial No. 365,964. (No model.)

To 6055 whom it 72mg] concern:

.Be it known that I, RUDOLPH hLlIUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Traction and Brake Devices for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to traction and brake devices for electric railways; and it IO consists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

This application (Case 17 5) is a division of my application, (Case 150,) Serial No. 357,477, filed July 2, 1890, which Case 150 is a division of my application, Serial No. 239,930, filed June 1, 1887, which latter application is in turn a division of my application, Serial No. 214,309, filed September 23, 1886.

In various of my previous applications I have described different forms of electrical brakes and their application to electricallypropelled vehicles, and I have shown in this application a form of brake very similar to the traction-increasing device set out in my application, Serial No. 202,950, filed May 22, 1886.

Specifically the device consists of a helix upon a magnetizing-core preferably hollow and 0 adapted to surround the lower part of the wheel. By sending a current through the coil the wheel is magnetized and attracts the rail, increasing the traction. If said hollow core be allowed to come into contact with the wheel, it acts as a brake. This movement is controlled by a suitable hand-lever, and when not produced; but the instant the brake proper is applied then all of the electrical forces are utilized to arrest the rotation of the wheels. Removable brake-shoes may be used instead of the core to prevent wear of the permanent parts. The car or vehicle may be supplied with electricity from line-conductors lVhether this de-' power may be varied to suit the requirements independent of the movement of the magnetizing helix with respect to the wheel.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction herein set out, as theymay be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation of an electrically-propelled oar embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the brake and traction-increasing helices.

Aare the rails.

13 B are two line-conductors, which may be suspended or otherwise arranged with respect to the railway and from which current may be taken by suitable current-collecting de vices S S. If desired, the return-conductor may be the rails.

C is the car to which the current-collecting devices are secured in any suitable or wellknown manner.

D is a frame carried upon the axles d of the wheels D and to which frame the electric motor D is secured.

Suitable gearing or power-transmitting devices connect the motor-shaft with the axle.

E are the motor-circuits on the car, leading from the collectors S.

F is an electric battery, which maybe of the primary or secondary type and connects with the motor-circuits E by the conductors The batteries F may be carried on or move with the car, and may be used'as the sole source of electric energy for operating the motor and brake, or may be used in connection with the line-conductors, if desired.

His a traction increaser and brake. It consists'of a case or core II, made hollow and adapted to conform to the shape of the lower part of the traction-wheel D and is provided on the inside with removable wearing brakeshoes ll, which press upon the rim of the wheel. This core is preferably of magnetic metal or a metal capable of being magnetized, and is provided with a magnetizing-helix 11 This brake surrounds the lower part of the wheel and is held clear of the rail. It is piw oted at 7! to the frame I) and has at its opposite end an arm II", which through levers and link ll. enables the brake to be moved by the hand-lever II. to or from the wheel or pressed against it. The downward movement of this brake is limited by a link or bolt 71., having an adjustable supporting-nut at the bottom. The helix ll is magnetized by the current passing through the brake-circuit h derived from the motor-circuit E. This circuit is provided with a circuit-breaker and resistancechanger 71; which maybe operated bya handlever h to apply and vary the power of the brake or tractive effort.

By operating the lever H the device may be used as a mechanical brake, and if the circuit 7&2 is closed it then also operates as an electric brake, since the core and its shoes are attracted tightly against the wheel. By closing the circuit and operating-levers H" and 11 so that the brake-shoe does not touch the wheel, the helix and its core will magnetizc the wheel and cause it to attract the rail, thereby increasing its tractive force. This is also increased by the magnets formed by said helix and core attracting the rail directly.

In practice the motor would have its own regulating apparatus c, which may be operated independently of the controlling devices of the brake-magnet.

If the battery i be a secondary battery, it may be charged from the line-conductors, when desired, and utilized at other times for energizing the brake and operating the electric motor separately or in connection with the line-conductors. It may be used upon portions of the railway where there are no line-conductors, and may be used to convey the car to its destination and back to thebcginning of the line-conductors again.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with a magnetizingdielix to inagnetize the vehiclewheel to increase its traction upon the rails, a core for said helix surrounding a portion of the rotating parts of the vehicle-truck, a support for the core and helix carried upon the axles, a circuit; including said helix and current-collecting devices, and means to vary the strength of the current in said magnetizinghelix.

2. In an electric railway, lineconductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with a inagnet-izi ng-helix surrounding the lower partand adapted to magnetize the vehicle-wheel to increase its traction upon the rails, a core for said helix inclosing the lower part of the wheel and firmly supporting the helix, a support for the core carried upon the axles, a circuit including said helix and current-collecting devices, and a circuit-ln'eaker in said circuit.

3. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an clectricall y-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with a 1n agnetizin g-helix surrounding the lower part and adapted to magnetize the vehicle-wheel to increase its traction upon the rails, a core for said helix inclosing the lower part of the wheel and firmly supporting the helix, a support for the core carried upon the axles, a circuit including said helix and curren t-collecting devices, and a resistance-changer to vary the strength of said magnetizing-helix.

at. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with an adjustable magnetizing-helix having a rigid core arranged close to the track and surrounding the lower part of the vehicle-wheel, a supporting-frame for the adjustable core and helix supported on the axles, an electric circuit including said helix and collecting devices, and a circuit-controller in said circuit.

5. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railwav, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with a magnetizing-helix arranged close to the track and surrounding the lower part of the vehiclewheel, a nmgnctizingcore to said helix and independent of the vehicle-wheel, an electric circuit including said helix, and a circuitcontroller.

6. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electric ally-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making atravcling contact with said conductors, in combination with a magnetizing-helix arranged close to the track and surrounding thelower part of the vehicle- .wheel, an electric circuit including said helix,

a circuit-controller, and means to move said helix to or from the said rail.

7. In an electric railway, line-eomluetors extei'n'ling along the railway, and an electrically-pro iielled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with a magnetizing-helix arranged close to the track and surrounding the lower part of the vehicle wheel, a magnetizing-core to said helix and independent of the vehicle-wheel, an electric ICO circuit including said helix, a circuit-controller, and means to move said helix to or from the said rail.

8. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with an electric friction-brake acting on the wheel and carried by the vehicle, a secondary battery upon said vehicle, a circuit including said secondary-battery current-collecting devices and brake, and a resistance-changer in said circuit.

9. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with an electric friction-brake acting on the wheels and carried thereby, a secondary-battery upon said vehicle, a circuit including said secondary battery current-collecting devices and brake, and means for varying the strength of current flowing from said secondary battery.

. 10. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with an electric friction-brake acting on the wheels and carried thereby, an electric motor to propel said vehicle, a secondary battery upon said vehicle, a circuit connecting said secondary battery and motor, and a circuit including said secondary battery and brake.

11. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices making a traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with a motor on said vehicle, a motor-circuit connecting the motor with said line-conductors, a secondary batteryin circuit with said motorcircuit, an electric brake, and a brake-circuit connecting with both said motor-circuit and secondary battery.

12. In an electric railway, line-conductors extending along the railway, and an electrically-propelled vehicle provided with currentcollecting devices makinga traveling contact with said conductors, in combination with a motor 011 said vehicle, a motor-circuit connecting the motor with said line-conductors, a secondary battery in circuit with said 1notor-circuit, an electric brake, a brake-circuit connecting with said motor-circuit and secondary battery, and resistance-changers in said motor and brake circuits.

In testimony of which invention I have 60 hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, A. J. DUNN. 

